Page 20 - Nov-Dec2022 Vol 40 No 5

TCAPWA EVENTS AND HIGHLIGHTS
West Branch Hybrid Lunch & Learn By Lauren Gaines

A hybrid quarterly West Branch Lunch
and Learn was attended this fall by more
than 30 Public Works professionals who
learned about maximizing federal, state
and other grant opportunities.
TCAPWA chapter members experienced
an educational session while enjoying
lunch and fellowship with colleagues. With
current funding opportunities becoming
increasingly available, West Branch
Director Ethan Skaggs, City Engineer for
the City of Germantown, worked with
two amazing chapter sponsors; HDR, Inc.
and Barge Design Solutions, Inc. (Barge), and capturing grants that meet their Know Grant Requirements
to execute the virtual/in person hybrid cities’ needs. A thorough understanding • Before you choose to secure a grant,
educational session. of the grant process has greatly benefitted get to know its requirements. Federal
Local attendees enjoyed lunch provided Barge clients, including the Tennessee projects must follow federal regulations;
by the presenting sponsors, and also had Department of Transportation, with the this means the project can potentially
the chance to win a variety of door prizes, Gallatin ITS project as a prime example take longer to complete and may require
made possible through the support of of how federal grant funding made a additional funds from the local budget.
Stringfellow Inc. and Eddie Yuan. difference. This also means the project may require
The presentors, Lauren Gaines, Barge “Barge has a strong history pursuing a NEPA assessment, Davis-Bacon Single
and Sheryl Chino, HDR, Inc., addressed competitive grants on behalf of our Audit, federal reporting requirements,
challenges, experiences, and successes in clients, always with the end goal in mind Title VI requirements, and even Buy
securing federal, state, and competitive for construction and community use,” said American requirements.
grant funding, offering valuable and Barge Project Manager Lauren Gaines. To learn more about federal, state, and
insightful experiences in grant writing and Three Tips for Starting Grant Searches competitive grants, call 615-305-9808 to
work history. Skaggs said the presenting speak with Lauren Gaines in Barge Design
teams proved that our TCAPWA Plan Ahead Solutions’ Nashville Corporate Office.
membership, composed of “municipal • Cities that have a plan –whether it is a
public service professionals, engineering master plan, major thoroughfare plan,
consultants, equipment vendors and or walk/bike plan–understand which Transportation Grant
manufacturers, service providers… projects are a priority. This allows them
each of us, who in some way serve our to better strategize upcoming grants Opportunities
communities… are always better when we to pursue for meeting long-term goals.
work together.” “Just like going to the grocery store, it’s FEDERAL PROGRAM GRANTS
MAXIMIZING GRANT OPPORTUNITIES always better to go in with a list,” Gaines Bridge Replacement Rehabilitation (BRR)
said. “If a municipality has a priority list
IN INFRASTRUCTURE of the top projects it would like funded Federal Land Access Program (FLAP)
Highway Infrastructure Program (HIP)
Grants enable our Public Works and completed over the next 5-10 years,
departments in funding the ever- having a prioritized list provides a Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG)
expanding needs of growing communities. better idea of the grants to pursue.” STATE PROGRAM GRANTS
Some of these elements must be High Priority Bridge Replacement Program
maintained and strengthened by Public Search Locally (HPBRP)
Works on a frequent basis, including • Reach out to your local planning Interchange Lighting
clean water, drinking water, emergency organization (Memphis MPO, West Local Interstate Connector (LIC)
watershed protection, roadway repaving, Tennessee RPO, Southwest RPO, and State Industrial Access (SIA)
and signal timing. Jackson MPO in West Tennessee) COMPETITIVE GRANTS
However, infrastructure updates often as well as your local and regional Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ)
can surpass the budget. That’s where contacts at TDOT and TDEC to ask Multimodal Access Grant
the grant funding process can help for information on upcoming grant Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)
communities meet essential needs for opportunities. If you work frequently Rebuilding American Infrastructure with
their residents and businesses. Federal, for a consultant, ask about upcoming Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant
state, and competitive grant funding is out grant opportunities .Be aware that Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing
there–if you know how to find it. most funding opportunities do require Transportation (SMART) Grant
Barge is experienced in guiding local a match, so the city will need to be Reconnecting Communities Grant
municipalities in finding, applying for invested in the grant decision.
20 TPW November/December 2022